Here’s how long listing appointments may take with longtime homeowners.
When it comes to going on a listing appointment with a senior client, understand that the first appointment you set will not always be a listing appointment in the traditional sense. Sometimes it’s just a consultation where the clients are doing some fact-finding in advance and aren’t ready to take the next step. So to help answer today’s question, let’s go through the stages of readiness:
1. Denial. This is the stage where the client has decided to stay where they are instead of moving. Oftentimes at this stage, it’s a spouse that calls us for more information while their partner has dug in their heels. This can make things take longer because you’ll have to work a bit harder to build a rapport with them. It could also be that the client’s adult children have scheduled an appointment for you to meet with their parents. They may not be excited about the meeting, but you’ll be there anyway. At this stage, you definitely won’t be filling out listing paperwork.
“How long a listing appointment takes depends on the client’s stage of readiness.”
2. Thinking. At this stage, your clients are thinking that maybe they will make a move, so they want to discuss their tentative plans. They’re not fully fledged plans, but they are trying to get the concept of moving solidified in their minds. As such, an appointment with someone at this stage may take a bit longer.
3. Planning. At this stage, clients want to know more about the process: How much will it cost them? What’s the timeline? How much is their home worth? An appointment at this stage will look a lot more like a traditional listing appointment.
4. Action. At this stage, they’re ready. You walk in, sign documents, put a sign in the yard, and then go to work selling the home. This appointment can be very short, but it might follow a series of longer appointments.
5. Validation. This is when the client feels accomplished with their transaction. This stage comes after the transaction is complete and doesn’t involve you as much.
So ultimately, how long a listing appointment takes depends on the client’s stage of readiness. I advise you to plan for a longer appointment; if it runs shorter, that’s great! However, don’t plan for the typical 30-minute listing appointment since it may take that long to even begin talking about anything relevant to selling a home.
If you have any questions about scheduling appointments with senior clients, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you.
If you are considering a specialty working with mature homeowners and downsizing seniors, join our community of Certified Senior Housing Professionals by signing up today for Success in Seniors Real Estate!